19 January 2015

I love... Russian dolls

I got my first set of Russian dolls on a childhood trip to Morecambe - I think I got them at the pottery in nearby Heysham. They are really unusual, because they depict a lady wearing a sari. Nowadays nesting dolls are painted in all sorts of designs, but at that time they tended to be in very traditional Russian designs.

In front of them in the picture above, you'll see a set of dolls that I painted in a Japanese theme, and a more traditional style of dolls that I found in a charity shop.

In the photo below you'll also see some of my non-nesting Russian style dolls. At the back, in the middle, is a doll that really does come from Russia, which I found at an antiques fair for next to nothing. Next to that is a Lindt chocolate tin, which I just had to have after seeing one in someone's room at work! Further forward is a doll that I found in a charity shop, which had been a container for Kenzo perfume. It's Japanese in style. And finally, at the front, is a brooch that a family friend bought for me on holiday.

She also bought me the brooch below.

Apart from the first Russian dolls I got, these are my most treasured. They are a Japanese set that I found at an antiques fair. Apparently nesting dolls were common in China and Japan long before they came to Russia!

Here are some Russian doll related items I got for Christmas (a spice grinder and a scarf).

And here are my Russian doll measuring cups

Finally, here's a set of dolls that I painted, and recently sold. You can see how to design your own Russian dolls in this post from last year.